Monthly Archives: July 2015

For those who enjoy the great outdoors for its beauty and quiet, backpacking is one of the best ways to truly unplug from the world and take the time to reflect and rejuvenate. By completely disconnecting from technology, your body can regain its natural rhythms that move with the coming of day and night, a cycle that technology tends to constantly overpower. David Berkowitz of Chicago is a professional photographer who often takes his work out into the woods, and he recommends the following to ensure a safe backpacking trip:

Learn how to safely put on your pack when it is at full weight. If you reach down and try to sling your bag onto your back like you would a normal backpack, you’re at great risk of injuring or straining your back. Simply pull it up onto your upper leg and slip into it, transferring your weight from your leg to your back fluidly. Or, rest it against a tree or stump and slip into it from behind.

Drink more far more water than you would normally, and eat whole meals. You are losing an incredible amount of water and calories during backpacking. Be sure to pack backup water bottles, iodine to treat your water and a dromedary for your campsite.

Take it slowly. Take lots of water and snack breaks, and don’t powerhouse your way up the mountain. Backpacking is about steady progression. If you sprint to get to camp, you will more than likely tire out and get stuck in a bad spot when the weather starts to roll in.

Leave early each morning from camp to make it to your next camp spot early in the afternoon. That way, you can have camp set up by the time any afternoon showers and storms begin.

Transitioning from an amateur to a professional photographer is an exciting endeavor that takes an incredible amount of preparation and dedication. As you begin to mature in your photography career, there are numerous steps and important tips to keep in mind to ensure your success. David Berkowitz of Chicago, a professional sports and wilderness photographer, recommends the following:

1. Keep diversity in mind. Make sure that you include multiple types of shots in your portfolio. Using images that look incredibly similar in composition will fail to look as impressive as a portfolio that shows a depth and variety in your talent.

2. Be certain that each photo in your portfolio has earned its place. Looking toward colleagues and friends whose opinion you trust is key here. Each photograph in your portfolio should be impressive and elicit a “wow” response from everyone who looks at them. Anything less than your most stunning work simply does not belong in your portfolio.

3. Leave the impression in your presentation. The first photograph in your portfolio must be some of your strongest work because your viewer will go no further if your first photo does not leave an excellent impression. This is also true of the very last photograph. Of course, every photograph must be of your highest quality, but the first and last photographs are what will stick in your viewer’s mind the most clearly.

4. Include both print and digital portfolios for your viewer. Print tends to be recommended, as the final say of photography is in print form. However, a digital portfolio may prove useful to you when you need a quick and convenient way to show a potential editor your work.